medicineThis is What Alcohol Does to Your SleepAlice ParkFor more, visit TIME Health.Having a drink before bedtime might make you fall asleep a little faster. But the sleep you get after imbibing may not be so restful, finds a new paper in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.Building upon earlier research, Christian Nicholas and his colleagues at the University of Melbourne found that alcohol just before sleep can lead to poorer quality slumber.While most people know from experience that having a drink before hitting the sack can help you feel drowsy, Nicholas and his team were interested in learning how the brain physiologically reacts to the alcohol while you’re sleeping. They had 24 (presumably eager) young adults ages 18 to 21 to spend several nights at the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences Sleep Laboratory. On one of the nights, they would be given a nightcap (orange juice and vodka) and on another night, they’d only get a placebo (orange juice with a straw dipped in vodka).

They were allowed to go to bed at their normal time, but their heads were dotted with electrodes to measure their sleeping brainwave patterns on an electroencephalogram (EEG). MORE The More Hours You Work, the More You Drink, Study SaysNot surprisingly, on the nights they drank alcohol, people showed more slow wave sleep patterns, and more so-called delta activity—a process linked to the restorative aspects of deeper sleep, when memories are firmed up, the brain’s detritus is cleared out and hard-working neurons get some much-needed replenishment.But that wasn’t the only thing going on in their brains. At the same time, alpha wave patterns were also heightened, which doesn’t happen during normal sleep. Alpha activity tends to occur when the brain is awake but quietly resting, in metabolic break mode. Having both delta and alpha activity together therefore leads to disrupted sleep, since the alpha functions tend to offset any restorative efforts the brain neurons are trying to squeeze in.

MORE Alcohol Poisoning Kills 6 Americans a DayIn fact, such dual activity patterns are typically seen among people with chronic pain conditions and in lab-based studies where people are intentionally given electric shocks while they slept. “People tend to feel that alcohol helps them fall asleep a little quicker, and therefore people associated that with helping them sleep,” says Nicholas. “But when you actually go and look at what is happening while they sleep, the quality of that sleep isn’t good.”In previous studies, such warring alpha-delta brain patterns during sleep have been linked to daytime drowsiness, waking up not feeling rested, and symptoms like headaches and irritability. Whether similar outcomes occur among people who drink before bed isn’t clear yet, says co-author Julia Chan, but it’s reasonable to think that they might. “When you see alpha activity alongside delta activity during sleep, it suggests there might be some kind of wakefulness influence that could compete with the restorative nature of delta sleep,” she says.

This doesn’t mean that you should avoid alcohol at night all the time; occasionally indulging in a nightcap probably won’t disrupt your sleep too much. 10 best wine destinations 2015But, “if somebody is doing this night after night after night, the effects can be cumulative, not only for alcohol use but on sleep disruption as well,” says Nicholas.Read next: School Should Start Later So Teens Can Sleep, Doctors UrgeListen to the most important stories of the day.wine boxes for sale uk This page either does not exist or is currently unavailable.best value wine awardsYou can also search for something on our site below.best rated wine clubs canada

Eating and sleeping are two of the greatest pleasures in life, but it's sad to say that the two don't usually go well together (I still need to work on my sleep-eating skills.)red cat wine where to buy Most people will tell you that eating before bed is a bad idea, as it will speed up your body in order to digest the food you have just eaten. best wine bars on long islandThis much is true, but only if you eat a very large meal. A big meal can make you feel sleepy (which is caused by insulin production and not actual tiredness), but it can keep you up a lot longer because your body has to work hard to digest what you've just eaten. However, you can choose the right foods that can make you sleep like a baby! If you're going to eat at night: Keep it under 500 calories - more than that will get your body working too hard to allow you to sleep easy.

Avoid spicy foods - they can cause heartburn.Stay away from caffeine - this one needs no explanation.Drink some water - it will help you to fill up, and will stop you from eating too much. Just make sure to use the bathroom before you hit the sheets! Fun Fact: A bedtime snack that is high in carbs can actually be the best to help you sleep. Carbs from fruit, toast and jam, or crackers will cause your body to produce serotonin, which is the "feel good" chemical that helps you to fall asleep at night. There's nothing like a cup of chamomile tea to calm you down and put you to sleep at night, and the reason for this is that chamomile acts like a mild sedative. It isn't going to knock you out, but it will calm you down, slow down your body, and signal to your brain that it's time to crawl into your bed. Bonus: Chamomile will have a soothing effect on your stomach, and it can help to prevent acid reflux and heartburn. If you have problems getting to sleep at night, try a cup of warm chamomile to help you get in the mood for sleepy time.

Oats aren't just a food to enjoy at breakfast, but it's also a good night-time food. It's high in carbs, which means that it will flood your body with the sleepy neurochemical serotonin. You'll feel a lot more relaxed, and getting to sleep with be much easier thanks to the oatmeal. It's not just the carbs that help you to sleep, but it's also the warmth of the oatmeal. There's something about eating or drinking something warm that makes you sleepy. Lifehack: There's something fantastic about a mug of warm milk to put you to sleep, and babies seem to have it right. It's not just the warmth, but milk contains tryptophan - an amino acid that has a sedating effect. Drink a cup of warm milk with a bit of honey - another sleepy-time remedy - and you'll be sawing logs in no time! Cottage cheese may seem like an odd thing to snack on before bed, but it's actually quite a great sleepy-time food. It's loaded with casein protein, and it will be slow-digesting protein that will provide your body with the amino acids it needs to repair your muscles.

Bonus: Cottage cheese also contains tryptophan, which helps to sedate you and calm you down. Mix it up with some almond butter, and you're guaranteed to fall asleep quickly. Almonds are rich in magnesium, which is a mineral that will repair your muscles and promote healthy sleep. The nuts are loaded with tryptophan as well, and the amino acid will help your body to create serotonin and melatonin - a chemical that slows down your body as it nears bedtime. Bonus: Almonds are excellent as a slow-digesting protein source, and the protein will help your blood sugar to stay level as you sleep. Protip: Drinking just one glass of wine before bed can help you sleep. I'm not a huge sweet potato fan, but I've found that it's excellent for promoting good sleep. They're great at relaxing the muscles - thanks to their high potassium content - and they come chock full of complex carbs that slowly digest and release body-repairing energy at night. They won't cause a rise in your blood sugar, but they'll be easy on your digestive system.

Bonus: Roasted potatoes will help clear acid from your body. Bananas are loaded with potassium and magnesium, both of which are minerals needed by your body to repair your muscles. They will both relax your muscles, and you'll find that the sugar from the banana will help your blood sugar levels to stay steady. Bananas also contain tryptophan to help you get to sleep, and they even contain serotonin to help you feel better as you sleep. Bonus: Rich in fiber, bananas will help to prevent acid from being produced by spicy or oily meals you ate hours before. Grapes are the only fruit known to contain melatonin - the chemical that helps you to get to sleep at night (which is why wine acts as a sedative). If you want to get to sleep, eat a handful or two of these delicious fruits. They'll knock you out quickly, and you'll sleep a whole lot better! ​Cherries boost levels of melatonin. Melatonin is a substance that helps regulate sleep. Drinking one glass of cherry juice before you sleep should help adjust your sleeping pattern.